Savvy pizza aficionados have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pizzeria Mozza since the moment they heard the popular Los Angeles restaurant was expanding to San Diego.

A longtime fan of the pizzeria, I had a chance before it formally opened this week to sample a few dishes from the restaurant's diverse menu, and it didn't disappoint.

Housed in the newly opened Headquarters at Seaport District, where a number of other high-profile restaurants are also located, the pizzeria is a collaboration of prominent Los Angeles restaurateur Nancy Silverton and New York-based partners Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.

Parking: Valet, or metered on the street. Validated parking available at Seaport Village.

While the pizzas are understandably the restaurant's big draw, Mozza is so much more than a pizzeria, Silverton likes to point out.

Ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms cloaked in a delicately fried tempura batter, and an appetizer of tender meatballs, accompanied by a slice of grilled bread, were big hits in my party, as was the insalata mista, tossed with a light, lemony dressing. Also on the antipasti list are brussels sprouts tossed with prosciutto breadcrumbs. While they're meant to be served at room temperature, they would have been more appealing had they come to the table hot.

There's even a salumi selection, most of which comes straight from the Seattle salumeria run by Batali's father. Unlike the other Southern California Pizzeria Mozza locations, the San Diego venue is offering a pared down selection of grilled meats and fish (cooked on a special wood-burning grill) that are on the menu of its more upscale sister restaurant, Osteria Mozza. Be forewarned, though, they're on the pricey side for such a casual eatery.

But back to the pizzas, which, once I tried them several years ago in Los Angeles, set the bar for what an ideal crust should be. Silverton worked hard on her dough recipe, which, thanks to the high temps in her pizza ovens, yields a crisp, puffy rim that almost shatters when sliced. Toppings as well are inspired. Be sure to try the combo of fragrant fennel sausage, red onions and scallions, as well as the goat cheese, leeks, scallions and bacon pizza.

And as long as you're carbo-loading, you might as well go all the way and order one or two of the restaurant's swoon-worthy sweets. The espresso and gianduja (chocolate hazelnut) gelati are superb, but the restaurant's signature dessert, the butterscotch budino with a thin layer of caramel, will draw you back.

And if you're not up for dining in, there's always Mozza 2Go, a takeout operation that should be open for business within a few weeks.